Visions - Spring 2015 - (Page 6)

ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP SCOA Celebrates Turning on the Power at Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in the Mojave Desert Commissioning Dedication Held for One of the World's Largest Solar Power Plants umitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) recently joined co-owners, partner companies and government officials to flip a switch and symbolically activate the over eight million photovoltaic solar panels that make up the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Desert Center, California. This act not only represented the powering-on of a major solar energy source in the State of California, but it also could be seen as an opportunity to "bring to light" yet another in a growing list of SCOA's progressive renewable energy initiatives. S Sally Jewell, United States Secretary of the Interior, addresses the crowd. On February 9th, a commissioning ceremony was held at the site of the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm and representatives from SCOA and Sumitomo Corporation (SC) joined co-owners NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy; GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE; and installer and operating company First Solar to dedicate one of the largest solar power projects on the planet today. Former SCOA President and CEO Kazuhiro Takeuchi and Secretary Sally Jewell of the U.S. Department of the Interior were all among the 100 or so guests attending. During the ceremony, DESERT SUNLIGHT Secretary Jewell helped turn on a large model light switch as a symbol of the power that Desert Sunlight Solar Farm will provide. "Solar projects like Desert Sunlight are helping create American jobs, develop domestic renewable energy and cut carbon pollution," said Secretary Jewell. "I applaud the project proponents for their vision and entrepreneurial spirit to build this solar project, and commend Governor Brown for implementing policies that take action on climate change and help move our nation toward a renewable energy future." SOLAR FARM: THE BENEFITS E N V I R O N M E N T A L Enough power for 160,000 average homes CALIFORNIA Displaces 300,000 tons of CO2 annually-equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road Lowest environmental impact No water used for electricity generation of any PV technology H2O C O M M U N I T Y Desert Center Wages and benefits from approximately 440 construction jobs over a 26 month period Estimated $15 million in new sales tax revenues and $12 million in new property tax revenues for Riverside County Estimated $336 million of indirect benefits to local businesses in the county, from engineering and design firms to construction subcontractors, supplier, and service providers E D U C A T I O N A L Support for College of the Desert (COD) Renewable Energy training and educational programs 6 v i s i o n s S p r i n g 2 0 1 5 Developing programs to support renewable energy education in local high schools and elementary schools On-site Visitors Center for tours and Solar Energy teaching

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Visions - Spring 2015